1. Field of the Invention
The disclosed embodiments of the invention relate generally to a chemical formulation, and more specifically, to a coolant treatment formulation that not only treats the problems associated with coolant deficiencies, such as corrosion, scale, and low thermal transfer, but also addresses the root of most of the problems, which is the composition of the water itself.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, prior coolant treatment and cleaning formulations have used harsh, toxic, and environmentally incompatible chemicals such as strong acids and bases, heavy metals, sodium sulfite, ammonia, volatile amines, and other such chemicals. These chemicals are used with little regard to their interactions with each other, to their accumulation within the system, or to their contribution to the problem of scale and sludge formation. Even with excessive use of prior formulations, corrosion, scale, leaks, microbial growth, and overall system inefficiency continue to be major problems in heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. These problems have resulted in total system failures causing portions of systems, and even entire systems to require replacement or major overhaul prior to the end of the otherwise expected life.
For the most part, prior formulations are not very compatible with the environment. They consist of concentrated acids that are used for cleaning systems. When a system is cleaned with such an acid, the wastewater has a very low pH, which can cause problems with municipal waste treatment plants. When spilled into a storm sewer or other path to a natural body of water, the low pH waste or raw chemical can have a disastrous effect on fish and other wildlife.
Prior formulations also utilize concentrated bases that maintain a high pH within a system and counteract the low pH that is present following an acid cleaning. The high pH material, like the low pH acids, can cause equally disastrous effects on waste treatment plants and the environment.
Prior formulations also utilize concentrated chemicals such as sodium sulfite, as taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,279,768 (Busch), to remove oxygen from treated water. These chemicals function by reacting with the oxygen to form new compounds. If these concentrated chemicals find their way into a body of water, they create an extremely high chemical oxygen demand in the water, which can lead to the suffocation of fish and other aquatic life. Another problem with sodium sulfite use is that when it removes oxygen from water, the sulfite is converted to sulfate. As more oxygen enters the water, more sodium sulfite is added. What has been found in some boilers is a concentrated sludge that is induced by continuous addition of such chemicals. This sludge not only creates problems within the system, but also becomes a contaminant to the environment when not properly disposed of.
Generally, these prior formulations do not provide any means of healing, or otherwise protecting, surface areas that have suffered corrosion or have a compromised natural protective surface. Prior art formulations do claim to utilize surface protective chemicals. The generally accepted chemical for protecting copper-based surfaces and related metallic surfaces is benzotriazole. Benzotriazole actually prevents tarnishing or oxidation on non-ferrous metal surfaces. While this makes the surfaces look bright and shiny by stripping off the oxidation layer, it is the oxidation layer that is the metal's natural means of protection against corrosion.
Therefore, a need exists for a coolant treatment formulation that is safe and non-toxic to use, that does not require constant replenishment, that causes no, or low, impact to the environment, that does not adversely affect the operation of waste treatment facilities, that works with the metal's natural protective coatings to heal compromised areas and prevent corrosion, and that instead of causing adverse reactions when combined, causes either no reaction or synergistic reactions that benefit the function, safety, and environmental compatibility of the coolant.